What'd ya'll make today?

[Twisted Brick]

Thanks, Johnny. The yeast I sent is FermPro 900. It has a higher-temp (80F - 95F) sweet spot and is reportedly used by a string of distilleries in KY, right above you. It's been cold and rainy this winter and I have yet to use it, so I was hoping you could share what you learn from it.

[Bradster68]

.
I bottled my barrel-aged bourbon at 106 weeks. Many thanks to Deplorable for shipping down the once-used Barrel Mill barrel he snagged from a local distillery. It has been a game-changer.

The grain bill was 70/17/13 and included 4 kinds of rye (pale, amber, caramel and raw) malts along with Maris Otter pale 2-row. The early batches used DistilaMax GW yeast that was gifted from member Pope and the later batches were made with SafAle US-05.

After two years in hot, dry weather the ABV grew from 62.5% to 66.4%. I reckon I lost 1-1.5gal to the angels (mostly water?) and 1 gal to diligent 2nd year quality control. Nevertheless, the spirit is rich and complex from the ryes, has a fantastic nose and pleasing color. I really only took a decent heads cut and included all the tails I had. I bottled the lot at barrel proof into differently-shaped bottles to see how the light might refract and change the color.

That would be a tasty sip at 106 weeks I'm sure. Congratulations and that.pic of the bottles could be framed and hung on a wall somewhere

[jonnys_spirit]

Thanks, Johnny. The yeast I sent is FermPro 900. It has a higher-temp (80F - 95F) sweet spot and is reportedly used by a string of distilleries in KY, right above you. It's been cold and rainy this winter and I have yet to use it, so I was hoping you could share what you learn from it.

That’s right! It’s wrapped up in my yeast baggie in the fridge. I’m saving it for my next AG series which might be a minute because after I finish my agave I’m starting a dedicated large batch of ongoing UJ style also w/US-05

Cheers,
J

[Twisted Brick]

That would be a tasty sip at 106 weeks I'm sure. Congratulations and that.pic of the bottles could be framed and hung on a wall somewhere

Thanks. I took that pic on the back patio rather quickly using my iphone, and the problem is lest I peek at the image I'm really tempted to sneak a dram.

[Bradster68]

That would be a tasty sip at 106 weeks I'm sure. Congratulations and that.pic of the bottles could be framed and hung on a wall somewhere

Thanks. I took that pic on the back patio rather quickly using my iphone, and the problem is lest I peek at the image I'm really tempted to sneak a dram.

You've obviously got some will power at 106 weeks. My oldest is a rum at 10 months. But they are all starting to collect dust now iv moved to larger batches.

[Swamptrout]

AG spirit run 60% corn, 20% barley, 10% wheat, 10% oats

[jonnys_spirit]

Experimenting today with running a spirit run slightly faster that I typically do.

Approximately 15g boiler charge @ 28%abv. Running a 5k5W element @ 10.5A = 800ml mason jar/16min.

Looking to collect 24x800ml jars in just over six hours.

I dialed in my collection rate at 100ml/2min.

I guess thats going to slip a little through the run.

We’ll see how it goes

Cheers,
J

[Twisted Brick]

Interesting experiment, jonny. What still charge you running?

I'm curious to hear your results. We run essentially the same kit (except your fine whiskey helmet) and I'm heating with NG and running outside where there's always a slight breeze. Looking over my run logs, I'm collecting at a rate slightly quicker than what you'll be maintaining today.

[jonnys_spirit]

Interesting experiment, jonny. What still charge you running?

I'm curious to hear your results. We run essentially the same kit (except your fine whiskey helmet) and I'm heating with NG and running outside where there's always a slight breeze. Looking over my run logs, I'm collecting at a rate slightly quicker than what you'll be maintaining today.

Running this configuration with Agave Azul low wines today

Faster you say? How fast for a spirit run?

I’ve been stretching it out all this time! Gotta get with the program

Cheers,
-j

[Deplorable]

Experimenting today with running a spirit run slightly faster that I typically do.

Approximately 15g boiler charge @ 28%abv. Running a 5k5W element @ 10.5A = 800ml mason jar/16min.

Looking to collect 24x800ml jars in just over six hours.

I dialed in my collection rate at 100ml/2min.

I guess thats going to slip a little through the run.

We’ll see how it goes

Cheers,
J

I'm interested in the results as well. My 600ML(hearts) jars run 15 to 18 minutes depending on how far into the run they are. Usually by the time they hit around 18 minutes, I'm switching back to 300ml jars to start looking for the tail end. A 6 to 6.5 gallon spirit run usually takes me in the neighborhood of 6 hours between power on and power off.
Ive often contemplated speeding up just a tad to see what I get.

[Twisted Brick]

Faster you say? How fast for a spirit run?

I wonder how many parallels are valid given differences that include still config, heat sources and ambient temps, not to mention spirit type. It could be the case that I'm running too fast. As a matter of habit, I set spirit run takeoff rate by eye, starting low and increasing power just until takeoff stops sputtering and flows uniformly. I admit that on occasion, because of a breeze, I have to increase power to get a smooth takeoff (even though the riser/stillhead is insulated) which may have an impact on speed.

EDIT: Johnny, every time I see a pic of your kit, I'm green with envy at how professional it looks!

On the chart below, 90min needs to be added to account for a 2hr slow warm-up and 25min for 200ml fores removal. Ambient temp was 55F.
...

[jonnys_spirit]

Faster you say? How fast for a spirit run?

I wonder how many parallels are valid given differences that include still config, heat sources and ambient temps, not to mention spirit type. After all, it is said that all stills are different, and/or can be run differently. It could be the case that I'm running too fast. As a matter of habit, I set spirit run takeoff rate by eye, increasing power just until takeoff stops sputtering and flows (pencil lead?) uniformly. I admit that on occasion, because of a breeze, I have to increase power to get a smooth takeoff (even though the riser/stillhead is insulated) which may have an impact on speed.

On the chart below, 90min needs to be added to account for a 2hr slow warm-up and 25min for 200ml fores removal. Ambient temp was 55F.
...

Thanks Twisted! I'm not taking many notes but this time I started with 800ml/15min and @ jar #16 am down to 600ml/15min. I'm feeling the tails cut is going to be about in this area maybe with some blending from other jars too. Heads cut I'm feeling around jar#8 today...

Six hours divided by 24 jars = ~15min/jar takeoff rate. I never did the math like that but did today I've been spending 8-10hrs.

Yes - different setup and charge is going to be different plus how one feels about it that day too.

Cheers!
-j

[jonnys_spirit]

Experimenting today with running a spirit run slightly faster that I typically do.

Approximately 15g boiler charge @ 28%abv. Running a 5k5W element @ 10.5A = 800ml mason jar/16min.

Looking to collect 24x800ml jars in just over six hours.

I dialed in my collection rate at 100ml/2min.

I guess thats going to slip a little through the run.

We’ll see how it goes

Cheers,
J

I'm interested in the results as well. My 600ML(hearts) jars run 15 to 18 minutes depending on how far into the run they are. Usually by the time they hit around 18 minutes, I'm switching back to 300ml jars to start looking for the tail end. A 6 to 6.5 gallon spirit run usually takes me in the neighborhood of 6 hours between power on and power off.
Ive often contemplated speeding up just a tad to see what I get.

6hrs power on to power off would be ideal! Next spirit run I may try to speed it up a wee bit more and see how far I can push it before it's smeared all to hell

*** I'm really liking what I'm tasting in the hearts here today - much sweeter than I expected it to be if you can believe that! I'll test a couple glasses later tonight with some different test blends towards the edges..

Cheers,
jonny

[Deplorable]

6hrs power on to power off would be ideal! Next spirit run I may try to speed it up a wee bit more and see how far I can push it before it's smeared all to hell

Cheers,
jonny

I think a 6 hour run on a 15G charge would be smeared all to hell and back . 6 hours for me is less than half of your boiler charge. A 40L charge of HBB at 28%, in my 50L still took 9 hours and 40 minutes power on to power off. To date its been the only time I've run close to a full charge spirit run in my pot still.
My reflux runs are a full boiler charge at about 20%. Those take around 15 to 16 hours to pull out 2 gallons of keep at 95%. Fortunately I only need to do that about once every 18 months or so.

[Twisted Brick]

*** I'm really liking what I'm tasting in the hearts here today - much sweeter than I expected it to be if you can believe that! I'll test a couple glasses later tonight with some different test blends towards the edges..

Excellent! The 'proof' is in the testing, by the Master (Distiller) of The House! Seriously, what if the slightly elevated boiler temp from running a tad bit faster pulls even a little bit of the next volatile fractions from mid-heads through the hearts? A quasi-shift in the scale of constituents? Just a thought.

Let us know!

[jonnys_spirit]

9a-5p including heatup and stripping tails = five o’clock here! Six hours of spirit run with zero change to power

Four equal samples thiefed from four middle jars 10-13 is very smooth and rich. It’s gonna need a little bitty bit of hair but this run will stay alabaster blanco

Cheers,
-j

[Twisted Brick]

I think a 6 hour run on a 15G charge would be smeared all to hell and back . 6 hours for me is less than half of your boiler charge. A 40L charge of HBB at 28%, in my 50L still took 9 hours and 40 minutes power on to power off. To date its been the only time I've run close to a full charge spirit run in my pot still.

I think you might be surprised at how 'clean' a spirit a faster run would produce. Your ingredients are top-notch, your mash and ferment protocols are highly-controlled and I'd also venture to say you work with better water than we have down here. Lastly, you run the same kit as me and you place your hard-earned spirits in a barrel, which adds even another level of smoothness.

FWIW, early on I tried an up-tempo (closer to a strip) spirit run just for grins and it smeared the holy f*ck outta the run from start to finish. The sting of heads permeated the entire run. I learned not to do that again.

[Twisted Brick]

9a-5p including heatup and stripping tails = five o’clock here! Six hours of spirit run with zero change to power

Four equal samples thiefed from four middle jars 10-13 is very smooth and rich. It’s gonna need a little bitty bit of hair but this run will stay alabaster blanco

Ta-da!

[juana_b]

Made some calamansi/ginger-ade.

[tombombadil]

Finally did the spirit run on the purple barley Whiskey.
It'll be in glass a few more months until I have an empty barrel for it.
It'll be the second occupant, after a bourbon of course, of a Gibbs 5 gallon.
Now I have 100#s of blue corn to liquefy. What should I do with it? I'm thinking some pale ale and honey malts.
100#s blue corn
50#s pale ale malt
8# Honey malt
What say you?

[NZChris]

Three strips of sugar shine using the preheater, I need bulk neutral for gin.

[Beefer]

stripping my first big batch of HBB -was supposed to be yesterday, but it seems squeezing corn in paint bags takes longer than I first thought. Looks like enough for 2 stripping runs and enough wash to make up the volume for a nice slow spirit run later this week. I see a mop bucket in my near future....

[MooseMan]

Not strictly made today, but the friend I made it for will see it and get to play with it today.

After a few samples of my products over the past few months, a close friend of mine has shown a real interest in wanting to make his very own white dog and Bourbon.

So I made him a little gift and will be with him for the start of his distilling journey.

The pot in this picture is mine I just made his riser to fit the same diameter, but once his SS pot turns up I'll be basically replicating it.

I've always liked making things that are a little difficult or just a bit beyond the skills of the average man in the street, but I've discovered that I like making things to give away as surprises, even more!

[Wildcats]

Not strictly made today, but the friend I made it for will see it and get to play with it today.

After a few samples of my products over the past few months, a close friend of mine has shown a real interest in wanting to make his very own white dog and Bourbon.

So I made him a little gift and will be with him for the start of his distilling journey.
IMG-20230421-WA0003.jpeg

The pot in this picture is mine I just made his riser to fit the same diameter, but once his SS pot turns up I'll be basically replicating it.

I've always liked making things that are a little difficult or just a bit beyond the skills of the average man in the street, but I've discovered that I like making things to give away as surprises, even more!

nice Lil rig man. Your friend should be very happy with that. Should make a good drop.

[Wildcats]

Stripped 6 gallons of Shadys Sugar Shine.

[higgins]

Made my 12th batch of Gin this week, 5 750ml bottles.

My first 9 were all different while I was adjusting botanical quantities, then my last 2 were repeats of batch 3, as it turned out to be the favorite.
The botanicals were all macerated for 36 hours, except I put the fresh orange peel in the vapor path.
Today I added a bit of fresh lime peel as well. This may top the last one.

[MooseMan]

Made my 12th batch of Gin this week, 5 750ml bottles.

My first 9 were all different while I was adjusting botanical quantities, then my last 2 were repeats of batch 3, as it turned out to be the favorite.
The botanicals were all macerated for 36 hours, except I put the fresh orange peel in the vapor path.
Today I added a bit of fresh lime peel as well. This may top the last one.

That is uncanny higgins, as I'm running my 12th gin batch later today!
All mine have been only 1L or 2L batches though as I'm very much still experimenting.

I'd love to try making your favourite batch 3 if you are willing to share?

[Wildcats]

Cleaning run and sacrificial run today on my new rig.

[MooseMan]

Cleaning run and sacrificial run today on my new rig.

Look forward to hearing about the maiden voyage!

[higgins]

I responded to MooseMan in the OEG thread.